1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device for conveying a long workpiece such as a bar to a cutting machine such as, for example, a disc cutter, a circular saw machine, or a band saw machine, and the like, and, in particular, to a method and device for selecting, for example, a single workpiece from a plurality of workpieces, and conveying the selected workpiece to the cutting machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commonly known cutting machines which automatically cut a long workpiece, such as a bar, to a suitable length, include disc cutters, circular saw machines, band saw machines, and the like.
In order to feed the long workpiece to the cutting machine automatically a feed conveyor is provided at the rear of the cutting machine; the feed conveyor feeds the workpiece in the longitudinal direction thereof. Also, a cross conveyor, on which a plurality of parallel workpieces is loaded, is positioned beside the feed conveyor. The workpieces on the cross conveyor are transferred to the region of the feed conveyor through the cross conveying action of the cross conveyor.
Conventionally, the cross conveyor is fabricated as an endless chain and is positioned only on one of the right or left side of the feed conveyor. A plurality of divider pins is provided on the cross conveyor, embedded at positions equally spaced to correspond to the maximum diameter of the workpieces to be loaded.
Accordingly, the number of workpieces which can be loaded onto the cross conveyor is limited by the number of loading regions into which the cross conveyor is divided by the divider pins. This causes the problem for example, that when the loading region is fully loaded with workpieces of a small diameter, there is a considerable amount of wasted space.
There is also the problem that, conventionally, it is difficult to select and cut the workpieces loaded on the cross conveyor.